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Gas prices down 6% this month

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Amid the global economic gloom, there's a ray of sunshine for summertime motorists in the U.S.: The price of gas has dropped 6% over the last month.

The national average price of unleaded gasoline fell to $3.45 per gallon, its tenth consecutive daily decrease, reported motorist club AAA on Friday. That's compared to a national average of $3.67 on May 22.

He said the weak demand -- due to Americans driving fewer miles in cars with better gas mileage - is coupled with sour reports on the economy from around the world. This includes the ongoing contraction of Chinese manufacturing, a 16.6% drop in the Philadelphia Federal Reserve's regional manufacturing index, and pessimistic comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The decline in gas prices has mirrored a similar descent in oil prices. Oil was trading at $78.72 per barrel on Friday, up 0.6% for the day but down 20% year to date. The last time oil was trading this low was on Oct. 4, 2011, when it closed at $75.67 per barrel.